UTSA on cloud nine after stunning Baylor

UTSA coach Frank Wilson, center, celebrates with his players following their 17-10 win over Baylor in an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017, in Waco, Texas. (Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune Herald, via AP) less

UTSA coach Frank Wilson, center, celebrates with his players following their 17-10 win over Baylor in an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017, in Waco, Texas. (Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune Herald, ... more

A week after UTSA’s regularly scheduled opener against the University of Houston was canceled because of Hurricane Harvey, a crowd of 41,923 at McLane Stadium watched the Roadrunners hold off a late Baylor rally to post their first victory over a team from a Power 5 conference.

UTSA had been 0-9 against Power 5 schools.

A 17-point underdog, the Roadrunners used Sturm’s play and an aggressive defense to stun the Bears.

“It feels amazing,” Sturm said.

The senior quarterback and former walk-on from Goliad, making his 21st consecutive start, was the architect of a masterful offensive game plan that called for the Roadrunners to run the ball and control the clock.

They were able to do both, rushing for 220 yards while winning the time of possession battle 38:52 to 21:08.

Sturm did his part, completing 15 of 20 mostly short passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns. He ran for 98 yards, including a 40-yard scamper that led to the go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter.

The touchdown came on a 29-yard pass from Sturm to Kerry Thomas Jr. on the very next play.

“I was comfortable with the game plan,” Sturm said. “And (understanding) what the defense was going to do really helps.”

Running back Jalen Rhodes led the ground game with 103 yards on 20 carries, the second 100-yard rushing game of his career.

But it was the defense that dominated, holding Baylor — now 0-2 under new coach Matt Rhule — to 274 total yards after the Bears piled up 532 in a 48-45 upset loss to Liberty in their season opener.

UTSA sacked Baylor quarterback Anu Solomon four times and got enough pressure on the senior transfer from Arizona at key times to keep him off balance.

Solomon completed just 10 of 26 passes with one interception for 121 yards and a touchdown.

It was the first loss for Solomon against the Roadrunners in three career games. While he was at Arizona, the Wildcats defeated UTSA in 2014 and 2015.

Davenport, a senior defensive end, recorded one of the four sacks to go with one tackle for loss. Tackle Kevin Strong Jr. and end Eric Banks had a sack apiece.

To go with the four sacks, the Roadrunners also netted 10 tackles for loss, one interception, five pass breakups and four quarterback hurries.

“We wanted to win the line of scrimmage battle,” Wilson said. “At times they slithered through and got some yardage. But for the most part when we needed it most, we came through.

“To be able to hold a high-octane, explosive team like that to 10 points at their home is a testament to our defense.”

UTSA’s secondary did a good job of limiting Baylor’s fleet set of receivers.

Junior Chris Platt was held to four catches for 58 yards and no touchdowns, while sophomore Denzel Mims had three catches for 62 yards and one touchdown.

The Bears threw deep often, hoping to take advantage of their speed on the outside. But UTSA’s secondary, led by senior safety Nate Gaines (one interception) was up to the task.

“I’m just proud of my team,” Davenport said. “It was a team effort — offense, defense and special teams. And we believe in ourselves.”

Meanwhile, the youthful Bears, who have now lost eight consecutive regular-season games, must try to regroup.

Rhule, coming off two straight 10-win seasons and an ACC title at Temple, took over a Baylor team in the wake of a sexual assault scandal that rocked the nation’s largest Baptist university.

“We’ll become a good football team sooner than later,” Rhule said. “When we’re a good football team, those kids that are crying in the locker room right now, they’ll be tough to beat because they’ll have gone through this process.”

Up next for the Roadrunners is the home opener 6 p.m. Saturday against Southern University at the Alamodome.

“I think this is a big deal for us because we share in it together,” Wilson of Saturday’s victory. “It’s a big deal for our team, but it’s a big deal for our fans, our city and our university.”